President Jacob Zuma has urged a business delegation, which will jet-off to the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, to sell South Africa to investors.
Speaking at the send-off event at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Rosebank on Thursday, Zuma said the WEF meeting was an excellent platform for big business to network and market South Africa and its opportunities for potential investors – an opportunity they should not miss.
“Each year, we also do all we can as South Africa to put our best foot forward and present our country to the world. South Africa is easy to sell. Our country is successful with lots of potential.
“Although some challenges still remain given our history, these are being attended to. We remain a nation at work for a better life, striving each day to do better. Our founding President, tata Nelson Mandela and the first democratic administration laid a firm foundation and we continue to build on that foundation to take the country forward.
“We are pleased that all of us put our country first when we are in Davos and sell South Africa. And indeed there is a lot to communicate about our country. There are some achievements that we can speak of as South Africans which will generate confidence amongst investment partners,” he said.
Zuma said while the country’s economy had taken a knock after the 2008 global meltdown, South Africa had recovered well and created many jobs after shedding a million jobs when recession peaked in 2009.
Zuma said the National Development Plan (NDP), the country’s policy framework to eradicate unemployment, inequalities and poverty by 2030, identifies the main drivers for economic growth – agriculture, mining, tourism, the green economy, manufacturing and infrastructure development.
He said the businessmen should land in Switzerland ready to showcase the country’s vision, which is widely supported by many sectors of the economy.
“As you engage the world, you will be able to say we know exactly where we want to be by 2030 and we are working very hard to get there as South Africans. We are busy factoring the NDP into the draft Medium Term Strategic Framework that will be discussed by the Cabinet that will be appointed after elections in its first Lekgotla.
“In a few months, the Plan will have been mainstreamed in the work of every government department.
“We do trust that the private sector will also factor the NDP into its own strategic plans in every company so that we move seamlessly together.”